Why do you love baseball?

“Why do you love baseball?” Though it’s a simple question, not exactly a curveball, it generated wildly different answers — from blunt to poetic, off-handed to carefully considered. Some baseball players and coaches immediately knocked it out of the park, while others took a moment to think over their answers. A love of the game may be natural and intensely felt, but it can be hard to capture accurately in words. They’ve dedicated their lives to America’s national pastime. Here’s why. (Michael Walsh/Yahoo News)

Photography by Gordon Donovan/Yahoo News and Sports

See more news-related photo galleries and follow us on Yahoo News Photo Tumblr.